Sweeper had sexually assaulted the 7-yr-old girl in 2014 when her parents were away.

A special POCSO court on Wednesday sentenced a 44-year-old man to 15 years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl in 2014.

The man, Gautam Dhone, worked as a sweeper in the locality where the victim resided and assaulted her when her parents were away.

Special judge SJ Gharat also fined Dhone Rs 30,000.

Special public prosecutor Vinod More said that the victim’s coherent testimony was the most important piece of evidence submitted before the court.

In her deposition, she told the court that the accused had called out to her when she had just returned from school and was playing outside her house.

She said her parents were away at work and Dhone touched her legs and then sexually assaulted her. She did not tell anyone at the time, and confided in her mother when she returned from work.

More added that the victim’s parents went out and looked for Dhone. Later, they took him to the police station where the mother filed a complaint.

The LT Marg police station had booked Dhone under sections 376 (punishment for rape), 3(penetrative sexual assault) and 4(punishment for sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Ten witnesses were examined in the case that lasted four years and ten months. The victim, her parents, a teacher at her school – who confirmed her age – and the doctor who examined her deposed before the court. They were the most important witnesses in the case, according to More.

In addition to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment, the court slapped a penalty of Rs 20,000 under section 6 (aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.

Dhone was also sentenced to concurrent seven years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 under section 10 (punishment of aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.